Playing With Fire
by Emereldine
Summary: Hermione wanders off into the woods at night, only to be interrupted by an unwanted visitor, a student at Hogwarts: who discovers her secret. Read and Review. H/Hr at the moment.
1. Playing With Fire

A/N : I could go on with this for a few more chapters if you wish. The characters are a bit older, also. Tell me what you think, please, in way of the wonderful little review box down there. Oh, and I don't think that "Incendium" is the right spell to ignite a fire. But nevermind that and pretend it is. Enjoy.   
  
  
PLAYING WITH FIRE   
  
/ sheets of rain / shimmering, slicing through the sky / splashing in silver streams / at my feet /  
  
*  
  
Slivers of moonlight cut through the flits of curtain, and illuminated his pale hands, fashioning to them a whiteness that was unnatural. The moon, when he leaned forward to strain a glimpse of it, was full and silver; it glinted and winked at him, and he fell back against his pillows feeling strangely worse than before.  
  
The room was silent; the three other boys were sleeping soundly but not soundlessly on the other beds, and Ron's snores could be heard above all.   
  
A lock of black hair fell into his vision. He didn't sweep it aside. He had come into the habit of letting his hair hang on his forehead since his first year at Hogwarts; it was all the better if his scar was hidden. He didn't want to be Harry Potter all the time.  
  
*  
  
"Incendium," she whispered. Almost instantly, the hearth filled with a burst of bright, spitting flames, casting heated glows amongst cold shadows in the common room, playful variations of dark and light; warmth and coldness. She slipped her wand back into the pocket of her robes and settled into a small chair by the fire, curling her legs underneath her.  
  
The fire mesmerized her. Flames were always indescribably awing to her. She could not help but stare into the depths of the dancing blaze, and edge closer to the heat. Red sparks frisked in front of her eyes, and then she unconsciously tumbled off the chair and leaned closer to the fireplace, hypnotized. She held her hands out to the blaze, her insides lurching, and yet her mind was calm; her thoughts were collected.   
The flames licked at her fingertips, and she did not feel any sting; nor any burn. She pushed her hands deeper, into the intense blue-heart of the fire-- they lay passively inside the blaze, and all she felt was a comforting warmth that spread inside her, down to her toes and lapping at her heart.  
  
After a long minute, she pulled back.  
  
*  
  
He silently padded down the stairs, and slipped into the common room. He wasn't surprised to see a fire already lit in the hearth, and Hermione kneeling next to it, her hair tumbling down in tangled curls over her shoulders. Her hands were positioned right above the flames, and her eyes were closed, as if she was basking in the pleasant warmth.  
  
Taking care not to make any noise, he made his way to her side, kneeling down next to her, and brushed a strand of hair away from her forehead. Hermione smiled, without opening her eyes, and said softly, "Harry."  
  
"Do you recognize my touch, then?" He answered just as softly, a bit of amusement lacing his tone. He kept his hand entangled in her hair, and brushed her cheek with his thumb. Her eyelashes lay a smooth dark fringe on her skin, and he touched them lightly.   
  
"Do you want me to?" Her eyes opened, and her gaze was a strange amber, reflecting the sparks of the fire besides them.  
  
"Are you going to answer my questions with questions?" He leaned closer, and his breath cooled her cheeks.  
  
"Isn't that how you like it?" asked Hermione, grazing his hand with her fingertips.  
  
"Your touch is so cold," he mumbled, just before he leaned forward and pressed his lips to hers, a warm kiss, full of feeling.   
  
They leaned into each other; they lost themselves in each other, tipping precariously close to the fire. The end of one of her curls dipped into the fire, and a hungry flame lapped at it before gently fizzing away into nothing. The moon shone through the big window, but its gleam did not enter the room, for the frolicking shadows of the flames canceled it out.   
  
They broke apart.  
  
"Hermione," said Harry, and his voice was rough, and strangled.  
  
She smiled, and blushed, and turned away, disentangling herself from him. The fire was a few feet away; she had not even noticed that they had moved across the floor. Hermione edged closer to it once more.  
  
Harry joined her, whispering, "You've lost yourself."  
  
"I have myself," she said, sharply. Her voice cut through the silence like a knife.  
  
"This spell." He gestured towards the fire. "It was an experiment. McGonagall does not know that you still perform it, does she?"  
  
"Does she have to?" Her voice was lighter. She was once again answering his questions with questions.  
  
"You've changed."  
  
A sideways glance at him caused Harry to catch his breath. "You like it."  
  
"You aren't the same."  
  
"You don't want me to be." She tipped towards the fire and then turned towards him. "My spell has made me stronger; fire has made me different. You like it." He made no move to resist as she leaned into him, and pressed her lips against his, with a fumbling gentleness. Instead, he caught her hands, and held them tightly.  
  
"You're always so cold now.."  
  
No answer from her. She was glancing towards the flames again. Harry dropped her hands. "I'm telling McGonagall tomorrow."  
  
"No!" The word burst from her lips before she could think. "No," she continued, after a moment of embarrassment, a pale pink spreading wildly over her cheeks. "I'm fine."  
  
"Hermione Granger is not fine when Hermione Granger is letting her studies go," recited Harry softly, watching her face and noting the panicked look in her eyes. A deer caught in headlights. An innocent girl caught with misunderstood magic. "Hermione Granger is not fine when Hermione Granger has stopped caring for everything but--"  
  
"But fire," finished Hermione. "But not. I'll pick up on my studies..I will. This is an experiment, Harry."  
  
He shook his head. "Tomorrow."  
  
"You can't!"  
  
"Tomorrow." He lifted himself up, and outwardly ignored the betrayed expression on her face. "I'm going to bed."  
  
She stood up with him, and grabbed at his sleeve. "No! I won't be happy with you, Harry." Her tone implied that she would be more than just not happy. She tugged on his sleeve, and then suddenly lost the imploring gaze she had had a moment before.   
  
Her eyes were hard. Triumphant, though she had not won. Hermione said again, "You like it." She slipped her hands behind his neck so quickly that he did not register the movement, and then swept him into a kiss that was sudden, and strong, and that he couldn't resist.   
  
When she pulled back, she said with a strange little smile, "You've lost yourself, haven't you?"  
  
Harry gripped her wrist, not gently, and tried to control his breathing. "Tomorrow." This time he was the one to press into her with a harsh kiss, breaking away suddenly so that she was left unsatisfied; angry.  
  
He left the common room.  
  
*  
  
She was alone with the fire, but she did not feel alone. Again, with vigor, she plunged her hands into the flames; again, she basked in the feelings that filled her to the core. A few more minutes-- a few more--  
  
A flash of white light burst in front of her eyes. Her whole body tensed, and shook, and then went limp; her skin was white; her hands lay motionless in the blaze. She looked like death. When she lifted her lids, after a moment, her pupils were red; fiery red and orange as the flames before her, and burning hot like hell.  
  
When she spoke, her tone was distorted and raspy, as if the heat that rampaged her body had scorched her real voice. "I have myself."  
  
She moved, just a bit, not noticing that her left hand had strayed from the fire, and then her body went limp again, and her eyes fluttered closed.   
  
She was climbing the stairs to her room a few moments later, her eyes their usual light brown and her hands unusually chilled. The fire in the common room had been put out.  
  
*  
  
It was raining. Rain--he looked up and reveled in the cool water that splashed his red face, which was heated from the exertion of a late Quidditch practice. Harry stopped in his tracks, and let his teammates rush by him, all hurrying towards the shelter of the castle. The shower soaked him through his clothes; matted his dark hair to his forehead; fogged up his glasses. Harry didn't mind; lately he had had a fondness for rain that was peculiar. Perhaps it was because water could so easily cancel out fire, and Hermione was consumed by fire. Her time; her energy. All towards the spell that she had one day asked McGonagall she could perform--to study and note down the details of the dangerous experiment.  
  
Only someone, somewhere, had made a mistake, and Harry had a strong suspicion that the spell she had asked to perform hadn't been the spell she had performed.  
  
He moved forward once more, and reassured himself with the thought that all would be fine in a matter of time. McGonagall knew now--she and the other teachers would take it upon themselves to fix this mess.  
  
*  
  
"Show me the spell book that you used, Miss Granger." Professor McGonagall's tone was gentle but firm, and she showed no patience for the white-faced girl in front of her. Granger was looking unusually sickly these days, and McGonagall chided herself on not noticing. She always took pride in looking after her students, preferably better than did the other House heads.  
  
"Spell book?" Hermione's voice faltered. Her voice was strangely low, and soft, and she looked uncomfortable sitting in the Professor's office, shifting around nervously.  
  
"You asked me, two weeks ago from today," said McGonagall, meticulously, "if you could perform the Laiceps spell on yourself, for research purposes. A student has informed me, however, that you have used the spell more than once, and--"  
  
"I know it was Harry!" she burst out, and then flushed under the Professor's stern gaze.  
  
"It was Potter," agreed McGonagall, "and I need to see the spell book that you used."   
  
"It's in the library," said Hermione in a flat tone of voice.   
  
"The restricted section?"  
  
"Yes."  
  
"Granger," McGonagall took a deep breath, and tapped a quill against her desk. "Get the book."  
  
*  
  
Madam Pince did not bother to look twice as Hermione entered the library, nor as the girl entered the restricted section. Professor McGonagall had given her a pass several years earlier, to use the section at her free will, as it was assumed that she would use it for educational purposes only. Nothing else was expected of Hermione Granger.  
  
Hermione stumbled on the white carpet, and had to grab a nearby bookshelf for support. She read the titles of the books as she steadied herself. Dangerous Play With Fire...Pyromaniacs And Their Obsessions...The Way Of The Flames...  
  
The Way Of The Flames. She grabbed the book's thick spine with her fingers and tipped it out so that she could see the cover. The front was all red, and in the very center was a little picture of a fire, merrily dancing flames that blew hot orange, and bright red; the little fire would go out every few moments, and then re-ignite itself, a fast moving cycle of birth and death.  
  
The book lay familiar in her hand, and Hermione did not hesitate a second to flip it open, finding the page she was looking for...There! It was the only page in the book that was black instead of white, and the writing on it was a bloody scarlet: THE LAICEPS CURSE. Of course, Hermione had referred to it as a spell when she had spoken of it to McGonagall. Not a curse...And the fool of a teacher had so happily let her go on with her experiment. Hermione Granger would *never* do anything to put herself nor her classmates in danger.  
  
She bit her lip, and abruptly shut the book. With the tip of her finger, she traced the outline of the fire on the cover. She was stuck; it was all Harry's fault. There must be some way--some way out of this!  
  
An idea shone in her head, and a slow smile flitted at the corners of Hermione's mouth. She set The Way Of The Flames back on the shelf, and, with a backwards glance at Madam Pince who was busy at work at her desk, she wandered deeper into the Restricted section.  
  
*  
  
End. 


	2. Dark Wood

A/N : I am grateful to all of you who reviewed--you are properly thanked at the end of this installment. I also apologise for the wait--but I had to be patient until inspiration to hit, you know. Incendium remains to be the spell I'm using to light a fire. Please review, and tell me what you think. Enjoy.

PLAYING WITH FIRE

--a fanfic by Emereldine--

_/ the sun that rose / was all that was / a red and fiery light / the sun that set / was all that was / a dim and dusky dark /_

"Fire is a beautiful thing: smoky, blazing flames that give out a light and warmth unlike any other. But for everything beautiful, there exists a thing ugly; for everything exciting, there exists a thing dangerous. Such is the theory of good and evil-- there cannot be good without evil and there cannot be light without darkness. There are, in relation to this theory, many safe, minor spells regarding fire: the Waverer, to form a hand-sized ball of blue flames that provide efficient heat; the Skraps, to shoot up a streak of firelight into the sky; the Incendium spell, used to light any small fire, anywhere; the Jinx, a spell that will produce an invisible source of heat in a room.

"There are then, of course, complex and perilous spells and curses relating to fire: the Blats curse, one that will explode any object but a human into burning flames; the Heitus curse, that will kindle a flame inside a human--the flame will grow and eat at a human's insides until that human is burned alive. There is no reversal spell for this curse, and the Ministry of Magic has strictly forbid it since the winter of 1388.

"The last curse, and perhaps the most deadly is the Laiceps curse--Dark Magic proclaimed in the scrolls of time to bring damnation to he who performs it. A fire is kindled by the performer, a special incantation whispered - and a spirit born from those newborn spitting flames, calling upon all the powers of hell to create a demon on Earth. The performer of the curse is damned forever, to carry that demon-spirit inside his heart and to be led down the road of temptation towards hellfire. The performer carries a physical urge to touch fire, to absorb fire all his life. The more he does, the stronger control the demon-spirit has on his body. Once able to control nearly all of the performer's body, the performer simply becomes a channel for the demon-spirit to wreak havoc on those around him and bring some of hellfire to Earth. 

"There is no reversal for this curse for the performer, apart from one possible chance of survival. The moment the demon-spirit takes full control of his body, not before and not after, his heart's desire must present him with an invaluable gift. However, the chances of such happening are zero to none. There has been naught but one such case in all of time.

"The Laiceps spell is more than often confused with the Laiceps curse- they were similarly named because of their similar nature. The Laiceps spell is simple, and quite harmless--giving a person an ability to withstand the heat of a fire..."

"Demon-spirit," scoffed Hermione, slamming the book, _Spells and Curses of All Natures, shut. The library was dim, and the faint light of an above torch danced in her brown eyes. "Impossible."_

* 

The sun was setting, a fiery orange glow dipping underneath hills of duskiness; a blanket of musky darkness crept over the expanse of sky and she could already catch glimpses of glittering stars.

Hermione shivered in the chilly evening air, and crouched close to the ground. Amongst mossy trees and leafy shadows, she was well hidden from view of the castle, and she liked it that way. The hem of her scarlet robes dragged on the ground, but she did not care about the dirt that marred it. 

A fire would warm her. She had already gathered kindle, small pieces of wood perfect for burning, in a shifty, improper circle in front of her. A mass of wooden sticks. But in moments--it would become the main attention of her existence.

"_Incendium," she whispered, with a flick of her wand. In seconds, hot flames flared up before her, eating at the wood and eating at her soul. The intense orange glare sparked a stark contrast in the dark wood, and Hermione took a satisfied breath at the mere sight of the firelight._

The next second she plunged her hands within it, letting the flames creep up to her elbows- and then she was lost, whirling in a darkness that was insane- the woods whipped around in her vision, and multiple fires danced before her eyes.

A voice, loud enough to sweep her away from her hot pleasure, jarred her thoughts.

"_What in the bloody hell?"_

With a jerk of her body, she snatched her hands from the fire, feeling a shudder of ice rack her body, and turned to face the intruder--but could not make out his face. It was a boy, Hermione knew from the depth of the voice, and she could make out a broad breadth of shoulders and lean body melting in the shadows. He did not come forward, nor say anything else, and she supposed he was far too shocked to see her bathing in the flames.

"Who is it?" asked Hermione sharply, gathering herself to her feet. She had been careless - careless! - to do this so close to the castle. 

"Who the hell are you?" The boy retorted, and Hermione thought his smooth voice somewhat familiar, though she could not pinpoint its owner.

She steadied herself momentarily by resting her hand against the trunk of a nearby tree, and the steady, flat surface, heated by the warmth of the fire, soothed her. She stalked readily towards the boy--and heard him take a wary step back. But he did not move again as she stepped in front of him, standing stronger and taller. And still - she could not make out his face through the shadows.

But he--he could surely see her, for Hermione heard a sharp intake of breath and then a hiss of, "_You."_

Frustrated that she still did not know who he was, she, in a flick of a motion, grabbed his wrist and pulled him forward so that she could see his face in the emanating firelight. 

Silver eyes shined like pale moonlight before her, and she all too readily recognized the haughty features and arrogant curve of lips-

"Oh, _damnation!" was all she could utter._

* 

Draco Malfoy stared dumbfounded at the girl in front of him. She swore again, this time louder than before, turning around and stamping her feet, her tangled curls flying wildly behind her before she faced him again and growled,

"Why _you?"_

It was a while before he finally found his voice, and swallowed on a dry throat. "Hermione? Hermione _Granger? Was it just me, or did I just see you plunge your hands into a blasted __fire?"_

"Oh, it was just you!" Hermione stepped up to him and pushed her fists against his chest, using all her strength to try and shove him away. "Go back--go back to the castle and away from me." He didn't budge an inch, and continued to stare down at her in amazement. "Oh what are you looking at?! Go!"

"All right, stop." He clasped both her wrists with his hands and firmly shoved them back towards her. "But I want to know what you were doing."

"Doing?" Her wrists hung limp and she stared up at him with wide brown eyes. "I wasn't doing anything."

"Right." A smirk played at the corner of his mouth, despite the situation. "Then why aren't you safely in Hogwarts, cuddled up to Potter?"

She jerked her wrists away, but to her infuriation, he held on tight, grasping her so roughly that she was sure it bruised her skin. 

"What the hell did I just see, Granger?"

"Go away," breathed Hermione. She stared up at him, and something flickered in her eyes - An emotion that intrigued Draco. Was it fear? He found himself peering into her gaze, even as she whispered, "this isn't your concern."

"It's damned well my concern when I find you throwing yourself into a fire." An idea settled into his head, and grew until he whispered coldly, "Dark Magic." He looked at the shivering, wide-eyed slip of a girl in front of him, surveyed the frightened expression on her face and the trembling of her fingers. "You- you were practicing _Dark Magic."_

Draco let go of her wrists, threw them back at her. She rubbed one, watching him, while he stared at her with those gleaming silver eyes- and then suddenly he threw his head back and laughed, mirthlessly. "Who would think of it? Hermione Granger! Practicing _Dark Magic!"_

Hermione narrowed her eyes and said nothing, while he whirled around to face the fire. He stalked in front of it, an icy smile teasing the corners of his lips as he muttered, "there was a spell- what the hell was it called-" He broke off, and then swung around to her. "The Laiceps curse."

"No!" burst forth from her lips, and she met his gaze with a glare. "You don't know what in the hell you're talking about, Malfoy." She strode forward and slipped her wand out of her pocket, ignoring his presence as she whispered, "_Extingiso."_

The flames died immediately, leaving the two in darkness but for the sheen of the white moon above. All too suddenly the trees stood looming in front of them and the shadows of wood-creatures danced around them; the woods was a place of haunted souls instead of her cozy fireplace.

"Nice talking with you," she spat out before turning to go. But a strong hand caught at her, and his fingers dug into the tender flesh of her upper arm. Involuntarily, she cried out. He did not loosen his grip, and instead pulled her towards him until he silkily whispered, against her ear and her hair, "You realize, Granger, that I could get you expelled?"

With all her spirit, she lifted her foot up and then slammed it down on his toe. He stumbled back, but did not make a sound of pain, nor released her as she had hoped. Still, Hermione hissed, "Don't threaten me, Malfoy."

His grip on her tightened still, and she clenched her teeth in an effort to keep quiet. "If you make an effort to hurt me again, I will hurt _you." His voice was quiet, chilled._

Hermione swung her free elbow back and whammed it back into his stomach- how dare he threaten _her, again! - and this time he did let out a faint "oof!" and release her._

"Damn you, Malfoy," she hissed as she stepped forward. "Don't try to talk to me again." She started to stumble her way through the trees, heading back towards Hogwarts.

* 

Professor McGonagall folded her hands solemnly on her desk and looked sternly at the black-haired boy in front of her. His green eyes were trusting, familiar and expectant, and if she inspected closely, she could catch a glimpse of the fondness he carried for Ms. Granger. It was apparent in the way he talked about her- she recalled the concern lacing his voice when he had come to her with his appeal of her safety, and the softness that had shone in his eyes.

"Ms. Granger has shown me the book she used to perform the Laiceps spell," said the Professor, "and assured me that she will no longer perform it. It really is quite harmless, Potter," she added kindly. "A simple spell to withstand the heat of fire."

"Simple spell-" He fumbled with his glasses, and then gripped the edge of the desk with both hands. "Are you sure?"

"Quite sure. Hermione was very clear about it. She tells me she has done her research on the spell, but would like to keep it private." McGonagall gave the boy a rare smile. "Don't worry, Harry. She is fine."

"I'll trust you on that," said Harry, sighing and standing up. He swept a lock of black hair off his forehead in a miserable gesture.

"Contact me if you notice anything unusual."

"Yes, Professor." He gave her an uncertain smile, and was gone in the next moment.

* 

End.

A/N : I hope you caught the difference between the Laiceps curse and the Laiceps spell. If not, you may find it at the beginning of the installment. 

Thanks to: Lunarbard, Melky Way, Me Myself and I, Suzanne Potter, Tiger Lily, AngieJ, ThE cRaZy KaCcEe, Sashina Potter, thurisaz, Star Fish, Janie, The Contemplator, Sheena, Firefly, Griff, Jessica, and Chaos for reviewing part 1 and making my day. J

Please review this chapter also- it will be greatly appreciated!


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